Pakistan SC examines Panamagate JIT inquiry report

Islamabad, July 10 (IANS) A three-judge bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday began examining a report submitted by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which probed allegations of money laundering against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

The bench of Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ejaz Afzal, after examination of the report, asked for transcripts of all speeches made in the last 60 days by Nawaz Sharif’s party leaders, presumably to examine them for contemptuous content, Dawn reported.

Earlier, hearing the Panamagate papers case, the apex court’s larger five-judge bench ordered the setting up of a Joint Investigation Team. While Justices Saeed, Afzal and Ahsan exercised restraint in their observations against Sharif and his family, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Gulzar Ahmed issued the dissenting notes.

The apex court also ordered the registration of a criminal case against Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Chairman Zafar Hijazi in order to find out who was behind tampering the records of businesses owned by the Sharif family.

The bench also ordered that the name and institution of the individual responsible for leaking a photo of Hussain Nawaz sitting before the JIT should be made public, Dawn reported.

The matter does not fall within the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction, so the government may form a commission to probe the matter, the court said.

The bench also took a strict stand against a local newspaper for publishing material it said was contrary to actual JIT proceedings over the past 60 days.

The SC ordered the filing of a contempt of court notice against the printer, publisher and reporter of a story titled “Panama JIT ‘doesn’t find PM guilty’, but his sons”, which appeared in The News on Monday, July 10.

Earlier, members of the JIT had arrived at the apex court amid tight security. Large cardboard boxes labelled ‘Evidence’ were carted into the court as the JIT members made their way into court.

The case has been adjourned for a week, with the next hearing scheduled for July 17.